
WAM Song Of The Year 2016-17 winners revealed!
SYDNEE CARTER TAKES OUT #WAMSOTY GRAND PRIZE + 16 INCREDIBLE WA SONGS CELEBRATED
At the close of the 2016/17 WAM Song Of The Year Awards Party, we’re excited to reveal Sydnee Carter took out the coveted Grand Prize with her song When We Were Young. Being only 19-years-old makes this feat even more impressive, yet this wunderkind has been building up to this moment with a string of early achievements. On her CV already is previous Song Of The Year nominations, a stint on X Factor, a Telstra Road To Discovery Grand Finalist, showcases at Music Matters Live in Singapore, and a recent collab with Slumberjack blowing up the charts.
Independently and anonymously judged by a diverse panel of music industry experts from the likes of triple j, The Drones, Pendulum, Mix 94.5, RTRFM, X-Press Magazine, Perfect Pitch Publishing, TheMusic.com.au, Spotify, Nannup Music Festival, Pilerats, Radio Birdman and many more, the list of winners reflect the extraordinary depth of WA songwriting talent. Ranging from established leaders in their genres (including WAMAwards and past #WAMSOTY winners) to exciting revelations with big futures ahead, the winners list also included Dan Howls, Ralway Bell, Tobacco Rat, The Intenso Band, Riley Pearce, Nucleust, Harry Mitchell, The Brownley Gospel Singers, Codee-Lee, Rag N’ Bone, High Horse, Farraday’s Cage, Burdiya Mob, Macshane and Jere Sosa.
Over $40,000 worth of prizes was distributed over the course of the night, the Awards for one of Australia’s biggest songwriting comps debuting at the WA Maritime Museum in Fremantle. The night also impressed with sets from DJ Charlie Bucket, The Money War, Ben Matthews Presents LIVEWYRE and Dan Howls.
WAM’s CEO Mike Harris said, “WAM’s Song Of The Year competition keeps going from strength to strength, and the quality and depth of entries never fails to amaze me. Congratulations to all entrants, finalist and winners. I have seen Sydnee Carter grow as a performer over the past few years, and Sydnee’s Grand Prize win is a deserved testament to her talent. The strength of the applicants’ music demonstrates the importance of the competition and its integral position in the development of WA artists. Thanks as ever to those who support this important event, plus the sponsors for so generously helping WAM champion WA music.”
Senior Writer Services Representative Tenille Elkins from Major Partner APRA AMCOS added, “WAM Song Of The Year is a rare and important opportunity for songwriters and we’re very excited for Sydnee Carter and the other category winners. We’re committed to developing our members’ careers and this award is a wonderful way to showcase the wealth of talent in WA.”
FULL LIST OF #WAMSOTY WINNERS
BLUES/ROOTS
Sponsored by Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle | Studio sponsor Shanghai Twang Studios
WINNER: Dan Howls The Prince
OTHER NOMS: Carus Thompson Beach Fires; Jordan McRobbie Candle; Mark Turner Yes I Do; Michael Ellis Time For Change
COUNTRY
Sponsored by Country Music Club of Boyup Brook WA | Studio sponsor Fremantle Recording Studios
WINNER: Ralway Bell Caught In The Crossfire
OTHER NOMS: Belle Harvey Bridges Burn; Bill Lawrie Dalwallinu Hotel; Helen Townsend & Bill Chambers Promised Land; The Jackson Roses Can’t Find You
ELECTRONIC
Sponsored by City of Fremantle | Studio sponsor Tone City Recording Studio
WINNER: Tobacco Rat Infra
OTHER NOMS: Lilt Ghosts; Out of the Blue Vice; Shyguy Had It I’m Hiding; Lilt Wait No More
EXPERIMENTAL
Sponsored by PPCA | Studio sponsor Blackbird Studio
WINNER: The Intenso Band As Steadfast As The Ether Itself
OTHER NOMS: Gravy Murphy The World Is Your Moisture; Jameson Feakes A Window In Sicily; Samarobryn The Road Is My River; The Intenso Band A Small Margin of Terror
FOLK
Sponsored by Nannup Music Festival | Studio sponsor Artisan Music
WINNER: Riley Pearce Seasick
OTHER NOMS: Bill Lawrie Always Be The Bad Girl In This Town; Nicky Sandover Orange Tree; Riley Pearce Circles; These Winter Nights Heart’s On Fire
HEAVY/METAL
Sponsored by Spotify | Studio sponsor Sumo Sound
WINNER: Nucleust Of King & Tree
OTHER NOMS: Kimura Book Of The Dead; Shimmergloom Smithereens; St James Sirens Empires Fall; The Decline Can’t Have Both
JAZZ
Sponsored by The Ellington Jazz Club | Studio sponsor Crank Recording
WINNER: Harry Mitchell Ignacio
OTHER NOMS: Ben Matthews Esperanzish; Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group Where Would I Be Without You; Harry Mitchell Gabba The Hut; Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble Point Of Departure
OUTSTANDING INDIGENOUS
Sponsored by Noongar Radio | Studio sponsor Foxhole Studios
WINNER: The Brownley Gospel Singers The Man Of Calvary
OTHER NOMS: Desert Stars Ngurra Nyangatja (Our Home); The Struggling Kings Ardyaloon (Guligool); The Struggling Kings Oceans; Platform 2 Faultline
OUTSTANDING REGIONAL
Sponsored by APRA AMCOS | Studio sponsor Sonic Lolly
WINNER: Codee-Lee Heart Is A Compass
OTHER NOMS: Valentine Can’t Shake You; Kado Muir & LYC Crew feat. KJ I Choose To Be Free (The Mamu Tjiitjii Song); Julie Kember Gypsy Woman; Like A Thief Take Me Back
POP
Sponsored by Cool Perth Nights/Mojos | Studio sponsor Debaser Studio
WINNER: Sydnee Carter When We Were Young
OTHER NOMS: Lucy Peach Silver Tongue; Morgan Bain Summed It Up; Riley Pearce Outside The Lines; The Brow Circles
PUNK/HARDCORE
Sponsored by Perfect Pitch Publishing | Studio sponsor Templeman Audio
WINNER: Rag N’ Bone Pissy Flow
OTHER NOMS: Blindspot Thin Ice; Scalphunter Men With Square Eyes; Scalphunter A Lie They Call The Truth; The Decline Can’t Have Both
ROCK
Sponsored by Badlands Bar | Studio sponsor Poons Head Studios
WINNER: High Horse Carbon Copy
OTHER NOMS: Mt. Mountain Moon Desire; Our Man In Berlin A Lightbulb Mind; Rag N’ Bone Pissy Flow; The Money War Recall
SCHOOLS 14 & UNDER
Sponsored by RØDE Microphones | Studio sponsor Vision Studios
WINNER: Farraday’s Cage Meaning Of Life
OTHER NOMS: Hachi f i r e e s c a p e; Idgie All Those Lies Fall In; Lily Kate Empty Road; Toby Jonah Cinnamon
SCHOOLS 15 – 17
Sponsored by Diskbank | Studio sponsor Underground Studios
WINNER: Burdiya Mob Djarliny
OTHER NOMS: Belgrade Me; Charlotte Viney Young & Reckless; Megan Grace I Wanna Go Back; Siobhan Cotchin All Night All Right
URBAN/HIP HOP
Sponsored by Laneway Festival | Studio sponsor Shake Down Studio
WINNER: Macshane Meant To Do
OTHER NOMS: Bluntfield The Soap Box; Chiseko & Jcal Juice; Morgan Bain Summed It Up; The Brow Circles
WORLD
Sponsored by Fairbridge Festival | Studio sponsor Rada Studios
WINNER: Jere Sosa Taste Of Honey
OTHER NOMS: 56 Hope Road Justice; Barefeet Sojourns Run Run; Brassika Roll Your Eyes; Kate Pass Kohesia Ensemble Point Of Departure
#WAMSOTY proudly acknowledges the generous support provided by our;
Major Partners: City of Fremantle, APRA AMCOS
Supporting Partner: PPCA
Grand Prize Sponsors: Anna Laverty, Audiofly, Perfect Pitch Publishing, Firestarter Distribution, Spotify, Diskbank, The Right Profile, RØDE Microphones.
Category Sponsors: Badlands Bar, Country Music Club of Boyup Brook WA, Cool Perth Nights/Mojos, Clancy’s Fish Pub Fremantle, Fairbridge Festival, Nannup Music Festival, Noongar Radio, St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival, The Ellington Jazz Club.
Studio Sponsors: Artisan Music, Blackbird Studio, Crank Recording, Debaser Studio, Foxhole Studios, Fremantle Recording Studios, Poons Head Studios, Rada Studios, Shake Down Studio, Shanghai Twang Studios, Sonic Lolly, Sumo Sound, Templeman Audio, Tone City Recording Studio, Underground Studios, Vision Studios.
Awards Sponsors: CCA Productions, Western Australian Museum, Heyder & Shears.
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